NSU University School Faculty, Staff and Employee Handbook

44 memorialization, especially at the time of the anniversary of the death(s) (Further guidelines on memorialization and commemoration). Additional services should also be planned for dates and events may serve as triggers for grief of students or staff, such as graduation, the prom, athletic events (if the deceased was an athlete) etc. 4. Have substitute teachers available that can rotate among classes to allow teachers to seek supportive services in teacher/staff support rooms during school hours. 5. If the death(s) are associated with a crisis that has impacted the community, consider some support services for parents at school in the immediate aftermath. 6. School counselors, school nurses, school psychologists and school social workers can help teachers identify risk factors and signs of distress that may indicate the need for mental health services above what is offered at school. As with any counseling services, parents should be notified if additional services are recommended. 7. Especially after traumatic losses (e.g., suicide or homicide), be proactive and set the tone for students to seek out counselors if they have troubling thoughts. Encourage students to identify friends they may be concerned about. These include students who have suicidal thoughts or have made threatening statements. Guidelines for Identifying Students Who May be at Higher Risk for Emotional Distress: 1. Students who were close friends of the deceased 2. Students who shared a class with the deceased. Have a member of the crisis team follow the student’s schedule to help determine classmates that may benefit from extra attention. 3. Students who shared extracurricular activities with the deceased 4. Students who shared a similar characteristic with the deceased. This will depend on the circumstances of the death (e.g., chronic illness – other students with chronic illness; suicide after bullying – students who may be bullied or who had pre-existing depression; car accident – students that have recently received their driving licenses; or pedestrian accident – students who walk to school). 5. Students with a troubled or strained relationship with the deceased 6. Students from other schools if the deceased recently transferred or has siblings at another school 7. Students with a history of prior or concurrent losses and/or emotional difficulties. Funerals, Memorial Services and Spontaneous Memorials 1. Participation of Students: Students may wish to attend the memorial services and/or funeral of the deceased student or teacher. Talk to the family of the deceased and determine their wishes. If many students or staff are likely to attend, inquire if there may be visitation hours/memorial service outside of school hours. If the services are during school hours, establish a policy for student absence that allows students who have a close relationship to the deceased to attend. Have substitute teachers available for teachers who wish to attend the services. Consider arranging for crisis counseling staff to attend after- hours services that are likely to be attended by large numbers of students. 2. Spontaneous Memorials: Informal memorials are likely to “spring up” after the death of a student or teacher. Plans to handle the flowers, cards, etc. should be made in advance. Determine the time period that the memorial will remain (one week, two weeks,